Metropolitan Police Service HQ Design Competition, London Architecture Contest News

Central London Police HQ: Scotland Yard Design Competition

New London Police HQ Architectural Contest, England, UK

20 May 2013

Architects and designers around the world invited to design new HQ for the Metropolitan Police Service

Scotland Yard Design Competition News

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce the launch of a new design competition on behalf of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to create a new central London HQ – replacing their existing New Scotland Yard building.

The new HQ, to be called Scotland Yard, will involve the redevelopment of the existing and currently unoccupied Curtis Green MPS building located on the Victoria Embankment, London, SW1.

Central London Police HQ – Curtis Green Building, UK:

photo from RIBA Competitions

The Curtis Green Building named after architect William Curtis Green sits within the Whitehall Conservation Area between the Norman Shaw Building and the Ministry of Defence. It faces onto the Victoria Embankment with views across the River Thames to London County Hall, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.

The Invited Design Competition provides architects/practices with the opportunity to produce a design for the renovation of this landmark in one of London’s most important and historic areas – to provide a modern, flexible and secure office environment for the MPS. The Curtis Green redevelopment will provide a state-of-the-art HQ for the MPS that also respects the heritage and location of the building and the need to deliver value for money for the MOPAC and the Met.

Roger Harding MPS – Director of Real Estate Development said: ‘The opportunity to create a modern efficient working environment for the Met’s future headquarters, with world-class architecture that provides value for money and is alive to the history of the building provides a wonderful challenge. We look forward to working with RIBA as the competition progresses and to seeing the designs. The transformation of Curtis Green fits with our wider objective to deliver a more efficient and higher quality estate which meets the operational needs of the Met and is significantly lower in cost to run.’

The original building, constructed as an annexe to the original New Scotland Yard, had no significant front entrance. A new modern, efficient and highly visible entrance and reception will be an important part of the design.

Expressions of interest (EOI) are sought from architects/practices worldwide, following which up to five architects/practices will be invited to develop concept designs for the project. Each of the short-listed architects/practices will receive an honorarium payment of £6,000 (+VAT) and be invited to present their proposals to a Judging Panel at a final assessment. The Judging Panel will include architect Bill Taylor, Taylor Snell acting as the RIBA Adviser.

For further details about the Curtis Green Metropolitan Police Service New HQ Building and how to register for the competition please visit www.architecture.com/competitions and follow the link to Live Competitions. Deadline for receipt of expressions of interest is 2.00pm on Thursday 27 June 2013.

Central London Police HQ Design Competition

Scotland Yard has moved several times before – from Whitehall Place to Great Scotland Yard in 1875, to the Norman Shaw building in 1890 and to the current building in 1967. This future move therefore marks a return to its previous location

The Curtis Green Building (1935-40) was designed by William Curtis Green architect as an annex to the former New Scotland Yard (now the Norman Shaw building). It was occupied by the MPS after the Second World War to house the MPS forensics and other technology departments. It became in due course a police station, before (1985) becoming home to the HQ of the MPS territorial police organisation until the building was vacated in 2010.

Architecture competitions deliver exciting buildings and projects. They drive up quality, stimulate creativity and innovation and generate a range of options improving choice. RIBA Competitions is the Royal Institute of British Architect’s unit dedicated to organising architectural and other design-related competitions. For further details visit www.architecture.com/competitions

The Metropolitan Police (MPS) was founded in 1829, and is the largest police force in the UK and is amongst the largest in the world. Headquartered in New Scotland Yard, the MPS delivers territorial and specialist policing services to over seven and a half million Londoners across 620 square miles; to millions of commuters, tourists and visitors to our City; and to many National and International communities.

The MPS organisational mission is to make London the safest major city in the world. The MPS primary role is to cut crime and to maintain public order on our streets. We are focused on preventing crime, targeting offenders, supporting victims, and building on the support and trust of Londoners. For further details visit www.met.police.uk

New Central London Police HQ Competition information from RIBA Competitions

Location: Victoria Embankment, central London, south east England, UK